The present invention relates to a flap arrangement for an aircraft wing or air foil and including at least one high lift flap with an associated spoiler arranged along the trailing edge of the wing or airfoil and wherein adjusting devices are provided for operating the spoiler and the flap.
Generally speaking a flap arrangement of the kind to which the invention pertains is known for example through British Pat. No. 1,568,250. In this known device the high lift flap and the spoiler are associated with separated adjusting devices for operating them whereby generally the operation distinguishes between a normal or retracted position and a protracted, advanced operating or extended position. Each of the respective adjusting devices operates basically between these two limit positions of operation.
In addition German printed Pat. No. 2,725,632 teaches a flap arrangement wherein for purposes of controlling a rear or trailing edge flap and particularly for controlling the gap flow that occurs on pivoting this flap, an auxiliary flap is provided being operated by an actuating mechanism which is mechanically and kinematically coupled to the rear or trailing edge proper of the wing.
These known flap systems are operated such that during cruising of an aircraft they are fully retracted to provide a trailing edge aerodynamic continuation of the wing contour as a whole and as smooth as possible as far as surface contour is concerned. German printed patent application No. 31 14 143 (see also U.S. application, Ser. No. 366,250, filed Apr. 2, 1982 ) proposes a method of using exhisting flap systems for optimizing cruising at high altitudes particularly in the case of transsonic wings. The method involves particularly modifying the curvature of the camber line during cruising, in dependence upon relevant and critical flight parameters such as weight, speed and altitude.
In conjunction therewith it has been proposed to construct the spoiler to be flexible with regard to bending and to tension bias the spoiler tight against the respective high lift flap. This way one makes sure that the spoiler will always be held against the flap and thus follow a flap deflection particularly if during a camber change the high lift flap is pivoted. This flexible spoiler thus ensures that the contour of the wing remains aerodynamically favorable and avoids particularly the formation of a parasitic gap between the high lift flap and the spoiler.